Gleason: Too soon to switch Tebow for Sanchez

The Jets have the 11th best record in the NFL. They are 2-2. They have played precisely one-quarter of the NFL regular season.

KEVIN GLEASON

The Jets have the 11th best record in the NFL. They are 2-2. They have played precisely one-quarter of the NFL regular season.

They have lost at Pittsburgh, which has won almost 75 percent of its home games at Heinz Field. They have lost to the 49ers, one of the top five teams in the league.

Their best player is done for the season. Now their best receiver appears to be done for the season. The defense has been less than sterling. The coaching has been suspect. The incorporation of Tim Tebow and the wildcat have been clumsy. The Jets are prepping for the Texans, early dibs for NFL's best team.

In summation, the Jets have more issues than U.S. politics. Yet if you follow the inevitable cries from fans and the media, it's the perfect time to replace Sanchez with Tebow at quarterback.

First things first — Sanchez has played at a level between sub-par and awful. He could have postponed the "Tebowwww'' chants by playing more than one quality football game leading to the quarter-season break. But replacing him with a worse quarterback, no matter how large and loyal his following, would constitute an unforgivable panic move based on popularity instead of logic.

The main argument for Tebow seems to be reduced to one sentence — the Jets need a spark. The other argument for Tebow — he's quite the leader — has minimal merit given his liabilities as a quarterback.

The Jets need a spark all right. They need a spark from their offensive line, which has blocked to the tune of a 3.2-yard rushing average. They need a spark from their defense, which allowed 245 yards rushing against the Niners. And yes, they need a spark from Sanchez, whose 49.2 completion percentage is almost as bad as the career percentage of another Jets quarterback.

Guy named Tebow, holding steady at 47.5.

Of course this was coming. Of course the "Tebowwwww'' chants were going to arrive sooner rather than later if Sanchez got off to a slow start.

But you don't change quarterbacks at 2-2 on a team with so many glaring deficiencies. And you certainly don't replace the starter with Tebow, one of the worst passers the league has ever known. That assessment might sound harsh. But how else to assess Tebow's numbers? He has thrown 354 NFL passes and completed 47.5 percent of them. Sanchez, not exactly Mr. Accuracy himself, has thrown 1,542 passes and completed 54.8 percent of them. Tebow has a miracle run with the Broncos that lasted until the divisional playoffs. Sanchez has two trips to the AFC title game in three seasons.

We knew the CFT (Calls For Tebow) would come. But already? At 2-2? Really?

Are we capable of big-picture thinking in sports anymore? Can we at least take a peek at the larger picture instead of joining the knee-jerk, talk-radio, crowd bent on overreaction and headline-grabbing declarations? Rex Ryan deserves little credit for sticking with Sanchez. It's a no-brainer. He has been harnessed with almost no playmakers and a shaky offensive line. Tebow, best I can tell, would face the same scenario.

You know when the Jets should start Tebow at quarterback? When they are out of options. When they have absolutely nothing to lose.

Ask Giants fans if the NFL schedule has more twists than a spy novel. At 2-2, tied for the AFC East Division lead and with 12 games left, the Jets are in the same boat as the other 31 NFL teams. Their seasons have just begun.